Adelaide Assistant Coach Nathan van Berlo is confident midfielder Jake Soligo will play in the Crows’ AAMI Community Series game after missing the match simulation against Port Adelaide last week.

Soligo is navigating his way back from an ankle injury sustained during pre-season training, which resulted in him being managed over the past few weeks.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, van Berlo said Soligo had been looking sharp on the track this week and he was bullish about the role the 21-year-old would play for Adelaide this season.

“It’s looking like Soli is going to get some minutes in our AFL game this week,” van Berlo said.

“He is going to get a good look at it for us, which will be great because he had an outstanding summer up until he twisted his ankle.

“He’s able to play ahead of the ball as a high forward, he can play inside stoppage as a forward or midfielder and he is a more than competent winger for us as well. 

“What I have been so impressed about from his footy since he walked in the doors is that he can play those multiple roles.”

The game will mark Adelaide’s second competitive hit out of the pre-season, having played cross-town rivals Port Adelaide in a match simulation last Friday evening.

Ahead of the clash with West Coast, van Berlo said there were a few key areas the side was looking to improve in.

“Each week we do review the game and there are things out of the last game that we want to tinker with for this week and moving forward,” van Berlo said.

“We obviously got scored against on stoppage on the weekend.

“A couple of slight tinkering going into this week and a reminder of positioning and roles that we have made some adjustments to and we are confident that will correct itself pretty quickly.”

For van Berlo, one of the highlights of the hit-out against Port Adelaide was the impact Izak Rankine had when he spent time on-ball, with the aim to involve him in more at stoppages this season.

“It gives us a different dynamic around the footy and some quick legs to get onto that ball when it hits the ground,” van Berlo said.

“There were some clear examples in the third quarter on the weekend where Izak showed his wares in and around centre bounce and we have seen that throughout summer as well. 

“That’s what you get when you get guys like Izak in your footy club that can play a number of different roles and impact wherever they go, so we will try and find that balance with him.”

In addition to Soligo's return, defenders Jordon Butts and Wayne Milera are likely to be a boost to Adelaide’s defensive stocks.

Van Berlo said he expects the pair to all lace up the boots for their first competitive match of the season, as they return from hamstring injuries.

“They have had three weeks of solid training now which preps them for some minutes this weekend,” van Berlo said.

“They are two that we need to look into and get some minutes into for Round One prep.”

Adelaide will take on West Coast on Saturday at Richmond Oval, with the first bounce at 2:40pm.

It will also double as the Crows’ family day, which kicks off before the game at 12.30pm.